Box erecting and vending machine



y 1962 F. A. GGGGGGG HT 3,044,371

INVENTOR .Fra WZA Gas irq'gfii July 17, 1962 F. A. GASTRIGHT BOXERECTING AND VENDING MACHINE l0 Sheets- Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb. 2,1960 N: E L I III.

ORNEY July 17, 1962 F. A. GASTRIGHT BOX ERECTING AND VENDING MACHINEOriginal Filed Feb. 2, 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGJZ INVENTOR RNEY July17, 1962 F. A. GASTRIGHT 3,044,371

BOX ERECTING AND VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 2, 1960 10Sheets-$heet 4 INVENTOR BY %NEY July 17, 1962 F. A. GASTRIGHT 3,044,371

BOX ERECTING AND VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 2, 1960 10Sheets-Sheet 5 co\ 8 --k E e g\\% Jg g g L 5 9 .3

w :2 N w 5 3 v s NVENTOR July 17, 1962 F. A. GASTRIGHT 4 BOX-ERECTINGAND VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 2, 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet e F/G/6A I July 17, 1952 GASTRlGHT 3,044,371

BOX ERECTING AND VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 2, 1960 10Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR Fran/ 12. Gas $713122 BY LM Ht ORNEY July 17,1962 F. A. GASTRIGHT BOX ERECTING AND VENDING MACHINE Original FiledFeb. 2, 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 July 17, 1962 F. A. GASTRIGHT BOXERECTING AND VENDING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 9 Original Filed Feb. 2,1960 ATTORNEY 17, 1962 F. A. GASTRIGHT 3,044,37I

BOX ERECTING AND VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 2, 1960 10Sheets-Sheet 10 FIG. 21. F1622. 2540/ I 240 L238 39 4o 5 3 l6 INVENTORBY l K g g A ORNEY United States Patent BOX ERECTING AND VENDING MACHHWEFrank A. Gastright, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Vend- A-Box, Inc.,Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application Feb. 2,1960, Ser. No. 6,197, now

Patent No. 3,824,583, dated Mar. 13, 1962. Divided and this applicationJuly 6, 1961, Ser. No. 128,925

6 Ciairns. (CI. 93-53) This invention relates to a vending machine and,more particularly, to improvements in a mechanism for storing anderecting box blanks having self-locking bottoms, and for delivering anerected box, filled with popcorn, through an access door at the front ofthe machine. This application is a division of my application Serial No.6,197 filed February 2, 1960, issued as Patent No. 3,024,583, datedMarch 13, 1962 for Box Erecting and Vending Machine.

In my copending application, there is disclosed a popcorn vendingmachine wherein flat, collapsed blank boxes with self-locking bottomsare stored in a circular row on a rotary magazine, and wherein theendmost box is wiped off the row by a feeder blade and transported to anerecting station.

blank into a corner of a rectangular form, and the trailing edge of thefolded box blank is deposited in front of a pusher. During the returnstroke of the feeder blade, the pusher forces the trailing edge of thebox blank to wards the erecting form until the box is completely openedand the bottom locks. After erection, the box is filled with popcorn andthe form then rotates to deliver the box to the customer through anaccess opening in the front of the vending machine casing. The objectnow is to provide certain improvements relating to the shape of thefeeder blade, the engagement of the feeder blade with a side of the boxblank, the positive guiding of the box blank along a predetermined pathfrom the magazine to the erecting form, the positive engagement of thetrailing edge of the box blank with the pusher, and the drive mechanismsfor the feeder blade, pusher, and form. It is intended also to providecertain improvements for repeating the operating cycle in event a boxblank is not erected in the filling form, and disabling the mechanism atthe end of the operating cycle until a filled box is removed from themachine by the consumer.

These and other objects will be apparent from the followingspecification and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective View of the entire machine;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism, shortly after the start ofa cycle of operation, with part of the magazine broken ofi;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism as shown in FIG. 2, as seenfrom the right-hand side of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of the mechanism, in the condition shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, but with the drive motor removed;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the mechanism in the condition shown in FIGS.24, with the erecting form shown in broken lines, and with parts of themagazine and drive motor broken away;

FIG. 6 is an enlmged rear elevation showing the details of the drivingcam, cam follower, and drive lever for the erecting form, and showingthe stop-cycle microswitch open between cycles;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged front elevation showing the details of the feederblade and drive crank after the feed stroke has started and the feederblade has engaged the endmost box blank of the magazine stack;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged front elevation similar to FIG. 7, but showing thefeeder blade at the end of its feed stroke,

At the end of its feed stroke, the .feeder blade pushes the leading edgeof the folded box 3,044,371 Patented July 17, 1962 and showing thepusher drive cam nearing engagement with the pusher carriage to startthe slow phase of the push stroke;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary View showing the feeder blade drive crank duringthe blade return stroke, and showing the pusher drive pin nearingengagement with the pusher carriage to start the fast phase of the pushstroke;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view showing the feeder blade drive crank nearthe end of the blade return stroke, and showing the pusher drive pinnearing the end of the push stroke of the pusher carriage;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 10, but showing the bladedrive crank at the end the cycle, and with the pusher carriageundergoing its return stroke;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary plan view showing the erecting form and pusherwhen the feeder blade has completed its' feed stroke, the drive elementsbeing in the position shown in FIG. 8, and the push stroke is ready tostart;

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the push stroke partlycompleted, the drive elements being in the position shown in FIG. 10,the feeder blade then being on its return stroke;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the push stroke completed;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary plan view showing the erecting form rotated todelivery position, and showing the pusher returned to its between-cycledwell position;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the engagement of thefeeder blade with a box blank;

FIG. 16A is a fragmentary front elevation showing a modified form ofprongs on the feeder blade;

FIG. 16B is a fragmentary cross section of the prong modificationillustrated in FIG. 16A.

'FIG. 17 is a fragmentary view showing the details of the stripper, andshowing the magazine shove-plate latched so that the magazine may becharged with box blanks;

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the complete circuits for operating themachine, the various relays and switches being shown in nominalbetween-cycle condition prior to insertion of a coin;

FIGS. 19 through 25 are fragmentary circuit diagrams on a scale slightlyreduced from that of FIG. 18 showing the significant active portions ofthe circuit shown in FIG. 18 during successive portions of an operatingcycle, wherein;

FIG. 19 denotes the insertion of a coin and the consequent energizationof the holding relay;

FIG. 20 shows the holding relay closed and the consequent energizationand starting of the main motor, the mechanism then being in thecondition shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 21 shows the opening of the main motor circuit resulting from theerection of a box in the box form and the consequent closing of thepopcorn motor circuit, the parts then being in the condition shown inFIG. 14;

FIG. 22 shows the dwell of the main motor while the popcorn dispenserdumps a charge of popcorn into the erected box and the popcorn dispensermotor closes a stick circuit for the relay which closes a jumper circuitto re-start the main motor;

FIG. 23 shows the main motor re-started and the popcorn motor havingjust opened its cycle-end switches, the 7 FIG. 25 shows the opening ofthe door switch result-- ing from lifting of the delivery door, therebybreaking the holding circuit, and the swinging of the box form switchresulting from removal of the erected and filled box through thedelivery door opening, thereby breaking the door lock solenoid circuit.

' vposition indicated in FIG. 2.

General Mode of Operation 7 Referring first to FIG. 1 of the drawings,the popcorn vending machine is enclosed within a case 10 having apopcorn supply bin 12 in its upper portion. The lower portion of thecase contains the mechanism detailed in subsequent figures, plussuflicient space below the mechanism to catch spilled popcorn or droppedbox blanks. In

' order to operate the machine, a coin is inserted in 'slot 14 so asmomentarily to swing a coin actuated switch 16 erecting bottom 11 from amagazine 20 to an erecting form 22 (FIG. 2). A pusher 24 advances tocomplete the erection of box in form 22. When the box has been fullyerected, it pushes the plunger 25a of a switch 25 on form 22 (FIG. 21)so as to cut off the circuit for main motor 17 and close a circuit to apopcorn dispenser motor 26 (FIG. 21) which drives a charge measuringdevice, diagrammatically indicated at 28 in FIG. 1 so as to dis-. penseenough popcorn to fill the box from bin 12 downwardly through a chute 30to the Waiting erected box in form 22. The details of the popcorn chargemeasuring mechanism form no part of this invention, it being suflicientto note that after the dispenser motor 26 has op-. erated' sufficientlyto cause the box to be filled with popcorn, a double-pole single-throwswitch 31 is actuated by the dispensermotor drive 'to eifect restartingof main .motor 17. Immediately after main motor 17 restarts,

dispenser motor 26 is cut oif (FIG. 23) and, near the completion of thereturn strokes of the feeder blade and pusher, erecting form 22 isrotated by a drive from main motor-17 soas to swing the form to move thefilled box to a delivery station 32 at the front of the case 10, where-'upon a cycle end switch 33 is closed by main motor 17 (FIG. 24) so asto energize a solenoid 34, thereby withdrawing a latch 36 to permit theraising of a vertically slidable transparent front door 38. Theenergization of door latch solenoid 34 simultaneously opens a normallyclosed motor control switch 39 thereby breaking the power circuit tomain motor 17. The raising of transparent front door 38 (FIG. 25) andthe subsequent'removal of the filled box return the actuated holdingcircuits and storing, feeding, erecting and delivery mechanism haschassis, denoted generally at 41,'including a front plate 42 rigid witha pair of elongate horizontal rails 44 and 46 mounted across theinterior of case 10 on supports not shown. Over the right hand portionsof rails 44 and 46, as seen in FIG. 1, is disposed the magazine 20 inwhich Y constituted by one opposed pair of corner folds.

flat collapsedboxes B are stored in a circular row. Maga- I 2;ine20 hasa central rotatable boss 50 flared outwardly as at 52 for engagementbythe beveled .corners 53 of the collapsed boxes, these beingthe meansby'which proper orientation of the boxes in the magazine are insured. An

outwardly extending bottom 'fla'nge 54 at the loweredge of the outwardflare 52 supports the lower inner corners of boxes whenfgroups of themvare being placed in the magazine immediately. before they are arrangedin final The outer side edges of the collapsed boxes B are supported abasket-likeframedenoted generally at 55 in FIG. 5, the frame includinglower radial spokes 56 whose outer ends support vertical posts 58 havingupper portions connected by a fixed'ring 60. Rollers 62 on the upperends. of post 58.supp'ort a rotatable ring 64 against ly from boss 50 isbiased by a strong spring (not shown) within boss 50 forcounter-clockwise rotation as seen in FIG. 5. A radial arm 68 afl'ixedon the upper end of post 66 supports a shove plate 70 whichengages-against the rear end of the stack in" the magazine, andrnormallyforces the stack around the magazine. A spring latch 72 on the free endof arm 68 releasably engages a vertical back-up post 74 so as to disablearm 68 while magazine 20 isbeing filled with collapsed boxes, Amicroswitch 76 (FIGS. 2,. 4, 5 and 18) supported onchassis 41 has aswitch arm 78 which normally rides against the edges of the collapsedboxes in magazine 20. When the supply in the magazine is nearlyexhausted, microswitch 76 opens away from contact 80 (FIG. 18) andcloses against contact 82, thereby closing the power circuit for awarning light 84 and simultaneously de-energizing a solenoid 86 in thecoin handling mechanism. By well known coin-- collapsed condition 'of' abox, the other opposed pair of corner folds 94 and 96 respectivelyare,'as yet, unbent. It should be noted panticularly that box panel Phas, ad

jacent the upper and lower edges of the box, a pair of tabs 98 and 100,respectively, which project beyond fold line 94 and freely overlap theadjacent panel P Slits '102 through panel P extend beneath and justbeyond the a free edges of tabs 98 and 100. Further details of the tabsI and notches are disclosed and claimed in my copending applicationSerial N 0. 774,478 entitled Tabs and Notches on Self-Erecting Box filedNovember 17, 1958; 7

Blade 18 Blade 18 (FIG. 2) is secured, as at 104, to a lev er arm 106apivoted at 108 on chassis front plate 42. A brace 110 rigidly connectedbetween lever'106zz and the forward end of the blade prevents defiectionof the blade.

Prongs 112, 114 projecting from the rear face of the blade engagebeneath tabs 98 and 100 respectively and project into slits 102 so thatwhen the blade swings coun-' ter-clockwise, as-seen in FIGS. 2 and 7,for example, the

ing off more than one collapsed box from the stack end. The other end10612 of the lever beyond pivot 108 is curved and provided with a camslot 124 in which en'- gages a crank pin 126 on the end of a crank arm128 a flfiixed at 130 on the forward end of a drive shaft 132. Driveshaft 132'is rotatably supported by bearings in front chassisplate-42rand a rear chassis plate 133, and coupled as at 134 to'mainmotor 17 (FIG. 5), the latter 133 by standoff mountings 136i. Driveshaft 132 undergoes one complete revolution during each complete operating .cycle of the machine, and between operating cycles, crank arm128 'dwells slightly counter-clockwise I from the position shown in"FIGS. 2 and 7, and blade 18 dwells slightly belowthe FIGS; Z'and 7position, 1.e., with prongs '112, 114-just below tabs 98 and 100respectively. 'When main motor 17 is energized, lever 106a, 106brotates'clockwise,- as seen from the front of the machine, and thedriving engagement of crank pin 126 in'the inner portion of cam slot 124oscillates blade In the 18 counter-clockwise on its feed stroke. 114slide beneath tabs 98 and 198 respectively, engage into slits 102 in theendmost collapsed box B and feed the wiped-off box along an arcuate feedpath, as will be apparent by comparing the successive views FIGS. 7 and8, until the leading edge 96 of the collapsed box is shoved intoerecting form 22. The further rotation of crank arm 128 through thesuccessive positions diagrarnmed in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 drive blade 18along its return stroke from form 22 back to its between-cycle dwellposition after the blade has shoved the. box into the erecting form.Blade 18 has a clearance slot 137, and a pair of openings 138, 140through which a pair of springs 142 project for kicking the trailingedge 92 of the thenoollapsed box B rearwardly while the leading edge 98of the box is being shoved into the erecting form. Springs 142 alsoconstitute means for pushing the lower portion of the endmost box in themagazine stack slightly away from feed blade 18 when the latter is inits dwell position of FIG. 2, thereby slightly flexing the collapsedProngs 11-2,

box B and bending panel P back so that the free ends of tabs 98 and 100are slightly away or loose from panel P Blade prongs 112, 114 can thusslide easily beneath the box tabs.

FIGS. 16A and 16B illustrate a modified form of prongs 112a and 114a onblade 18a wherein spring metal strips 115, 117 are spot welded to theforward face of the blade with their free ends projecting rearwardlythrough slots 119, 121. Strips 115, 117 are sufficiently resilient sothat they iiex back so that their pointed free ends lie nearly flushwith the rear face of blade 18:: when the endmost collapsed box in themagazine presses against the rear face of the feeder blade. However, ifthe endmost box is slightly spaced away from the blade,

. prongs 112a, 114a spring outwardly enough to engage into the notcheson the box and thereby feed the box, even though the latter be slightlyout of feeding position.

Erecting Form 22 Referring primarily to FIGS. 2, 12, 13 and 14 whichshow erecting form 22 in the position in which it receives a box B andholds it while the latter is erected and then filled with popcorn, form22 is supported on a base plate 144 having a rectanguilar concavity 146in one edge. Form 22 consists of a vertical sheet metal open shellsecured in concavity 146, and having adjacent side walls 148 and 150connected by a right angle bend 152, and another right angle bend 154connecting adjacent side walls 150 and 156. Wings 158 and 169 flareoutwardly from the forward edges of side walls 148 and 156. As detailedbest in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, base plate 144 is mounted by screws 161 on acollar 162 afixed on the upper end of the vertical shaft 164 rotatablymounted in vertically spaced chassis brackets 1 66 and 168. A collarsecured on vertical shaft 164 has an eccentric projection 172 with avertical pin socket 174 for receiving the pin 176 which rotatablysupports an enlarged head 178 having a cross slot 179 across its top. Alever 13%} is swingably mounted on the chassis by means of a hollow stubshaft 182, with which the lever is rigid, the stub shaft rotatably ttingover a pintle 184 on the chassis. Projecting forwardly from the upperend of lever is a crank pin 186 which engages in cross slot 179 so thatas lever 180 oscillates about pintle 182, vertical shaft 164 and, inturn, form 22 are correspondingly oscillated.

Lever 180 is driven by a pair of cam follower pins 188 and 190, .pin 188being on the lower end of the lever and pin 190 being at the-free end ofan arm 192 whose inner end is rigidly aflixed to stub shaft 182. A cam194- on drive shaft 132 drives pin 188 and a second cam 196 also ondrive shaft 132 drives pin 190, it being apparent from FIG. 6 that arise on cam 194 engages the follower pin 188, lever 180 is oscillatedcounter-clockwise, as seen from the rear of the machine, and when a riseon cam 196 engages pin 19%, lever 18!} swings in reverse, clockwisedirection. Cams 194 and 196 are profiled so that erecting form 22 is inthe position diagrammed in FIG. 15 during the between-cycle dwell of thefeed blade. However, when drive shaft 132 starts to rotate, the sharprise in the profile of cam 1% drives the cam pin 199 upwardly, therebyoscillating lever 180 rapidly clockwise, as seen -from the rear of themachine, and correspondingly swinging form 22 rapidly counter-clockwise,as seen from the top of the machine. Before blade '18 reaches its FIG. 8position, erecting form 22 has reached its position of FIGS. 12, 13 and14, and there it dwells until the feed blade has substantially completedits return stroke, the blade drive parts being then as illustrated inFIG. 11. During the final return stroke movements of blade 18, an abruptrise on cam 194 engages pin 188 so as to swing lever 130 abruptlycounter-clockwise, as seen from the rear of the machine, correspondinglyto swing erection form 22 from the box erecting and filling positionillustrated in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 to the box delivery position shown inFIG. 15 and FIG. 1.

Pusher 24 Referring primarily to FIGS. 2, and 7 to 15 inclusive, pusher24 is essentially a vertical post 198 having a V- shaped working edge288 of which the rear wing 282 is substmtially longer than the frontwing 2114. Post 198 is rigid with a carriage 286 having slots 2118 and218 in which rollers 212 and 214 engage. Rohers 12 and 214 are rotatablymounted on the front chassis frame plate 42. Also rigid with carriage286 is a downwardly extending bracket 216 sloted at 218 and supported ona roller 22%). Pusher 24 is thus mounted on the chassis for horizontalreciprocatory movement between a retracted position as in FIG. 2 and anadvanced position as in FIG. 14. A return spring 222 anchored as at 224on chassis plate 42 and, as at 226 on carriage 286 normally biasespusher 24 towards the retracted position of FIG. 2. The

advancing drive of pusher 24 is as follows: Aifixed on drive shaft 132immediately behind crank arm 128 is a stub cam 228. Bracket 216 has acurved, receding cam surface 239 and an adjacent straight cam surface232. When drive shaft 132 is rotated sufiiciently to advance blade 18 toits extreme forward position (slightly beyond the FIG. 8 position) stubcam 228 engages cam surface 230 so as to advance pusher 24 slowly fromits FIG. 2 position to its FIG. 13 position. Meanwhile, slightly beforeblade 18 reached the end of its feed stroke, and before pusher 24 startsto advance, springs 142 on the feeder blade kick the trailing edge 92rearwardly into the V 200 on the front side of pusher post 198, asdiagrammed in FIG. 12. A bent wire spring 205 mounted on the top ofpusher post 198 also urges the trailing edge 92 of the box into Vsurface 288 of the pusher post. The forward termination of the feedstroke of feeder blade 18 and the motion of stub cam 228 along camsurface 230 coincide; the slight initial advance of pusher 24 forces theleading edge 98 of the hitherto collapsed box blank B into corner 152 oferected form 22' .so that the side panels of the box blank spread apartsufiiciently to swing tabs 98 away from box panel P thereby freeingblade prongs 112, 114 from beneath the box tabs so that, as the feederblade retracts, it will not drag the fed box blank back with it. Asfeeder blade 18 moves on its return stroke, stub cam 228 moves alongstraight cam surface 232 so that pusher 24 momentarily dwells. However,when feeder blade 18 continues its return stroke to the positiondiagrammed in FIG. 10, a rearward projection 127 (FIG. 3) of crank pin126 on the free end of crank arm 128 engages the curved cam surface 234on bracket 216 so as to advance pusher 24 rapidly from its FIG. 13position to that of FIG. 14, wherein it dwells as the rearwardprojection of cam pin 126 moves along straight cam surface 232 ofbracket 216. There is, at this point in the operating cycle, a momentarydwell in the operathem.

tion of the box feeding "and erecting mechanism while the popcorndispenser motor 26 operates the charge measbring device 28 so as to fillthe erected box, then clamped in form 22 as diagrammed in FIG. 14, withpopcorn.

When the box has been filled with popcorn, the main motor 17 resumes itsoperationand therearward projection 127 of crank pin 126 enters thecurved, concave .cutout cam surface 236 and, as the crank pin movesfurther around surface 236, return spring 2.26 slowly returns pusher 24to its initial FIG. 2 position while erecting form 22 swings to itsdelivery position of FIG. 15.

, Stripper S Two of the major problems in feeding, or wiping ofi' acollapsed box from the end of a stack are, first, positioning theendmost collapsed box at an exact point of pick-up and, second,preventing thenext-to-endmost collapsed box from being swept along whenthe endmost one is wiped ofi or, at least, from being dragged out ofposition. 7 While -a fixed stripper s, disposed over the stack end is ofsome valuein preventing the next-to-endmost box from being fed, it maypermit slight misposit-ion at the stack and,

, sufiiciently'to cause thefeeder blade to miss, because stripper s,being fixed, cannot be disposed against the tops of the collapsedboxesin magazine 20 lest it block the advance of the stack towards thefeed position. In order to position andjhold the last few collapsedboxes, and the next to endmost one,in the magazine stack immediatelyprior to the advance of .the next-to-last one into feeding position, astripper s, consisting of a L-shaped plate is mounted on the end ofpusher carriage 2536, in position to engage over the upper left-handcorners, as seen in FIG. 2, of the last few boxes approaching feedposition, save the endmost one, in the magazine stack.

A fier the endmost collapsed box has been fed to erecting ElectricalCircuits 'Referred next to FIG. 18, the electrical circuits for themachine, except for those which energize a popcorn heater andadvertising signs, are shown in their betweencycle' state. A manualcycle starting switch 242 is provided for test operation, but,ordinarily, the only betweento 25%. Simultaneously, a second contactor2620f the holding relay is closed against contact 2134 and thus a'holding circuit is established from input terminal 23% through conductor266, holding relay contact 264, contactor 262 and thence throughholdingrelay winding vT148, conductor 253 and door switch 44} topowerinput terminal 240. As will subsequently be observed, the holdingcircuit for winding 248 remains closed until door switch it is opened.

The closure of holding relay contactor 21 :5 against 7 contact 269energizes the circuit of main motor 17 as It will be-observed that the mcoin has passed coin switch 16 and the latter has'returned diagramrnedin FIG. 20.

to its normal position, closed against contact 24% The circuit frominput terminal 238 thence runs through hoidring relay contactor 2 26,contact 260 and through'one armature 268 of box switch 25 (on erectingform 23.},

motor contact 270, main motor 17, and through conductors 272, 274 andnormally closed door latchswitch 39, and normally closed door switch .49to power input terminal 24:). Whereas, at the start of the operatingcycle, a switchcam 276 on the main motor shaft 132 held cycle end switch33 closed, the initial rotation of main motor shaft 132 immediatelyopens cycle end switch 33. D-ash line 278 denotes that a collapsed boxis being fed towards box switch 25 on erecting form 22.

"Unless a box is erected in form 22, armature 268 recycle circuitbetween input terminals 238 and 240 is established through coincontrolled switch 16 which normally engages contact 244 and throughcontactor 246 of a holding relay whose winding 248 is then de-energized,

' to contact 250 and thence through box magazine switch 76. Assumingthat there is a supply of collapsed boxes in the magazine, the circuitcontinues from contact 80 through the coin control winding 8-6, doorlatch switch 39 and door switch 40, assuming door 38 to be closed, tothe other power input terminal 24! If door 38 is open, door switch 4i!is correspondingly open to break the while popcorn dispenser motor' 26operates sufficiently I to cause the popcorn measuring device 28 todischarge supply circuit for coin control winding 86. The circuit forwinding 86 will likewise be opened if there areinsufficient collapsed'boxes in magazine 25). to holdswitch 76 closed against contact 80. 7

FIG. 19 diagrammatically illustrates the holdingcircuitfirst activatedby inserting the coin through slot 14. I As the coin trips switch 16,contact 252-is momentarily contacted, thereby sending a pulse through acounter 0 whose circuit'to power input terminal 24% is completed 7 Ythrough conductor '254. An'energizing pulse through holding relaywinding 248 is similarly transmitted through .conductors 256 and 258 andthrough normally closed door switch itl to power input terminal 240,whereupon :holding relay contactor' 246 swings from contact 25%) mainclosed against motor contact 270, main motor 17. will continue tooperate, and the mechanism will embark and continue on a succeeding boxfeeding and erectingcycle. This constitutes a fail-safe feature .toguard against the following contingencies: If the blade prongs fail toengage beneath the tabs on the collapsed box at the end of the magazinestack, the blade will continue through its feed and return strokes andtake another pass at the missed box; if the box falls oif'the feed bladeduring the feed stroke, it will drop downwardly in front of th mechanisminto the bottom of casing 10; if, when pusher post 198 moves from itsinitial. fullline position diagrammed in FIG. 12 to its FIG.- 13position, the box fails to start opening as illustrated in 15, thecomparatively stili unopened box blank has suflicient spring'so that,when flexed between form '22 and post 188, itwill merely snap forwardlyand fall harmlessly downward past the front of the mechanism into thebottom of casing 10-.

FIG. 21 illustrates the active circuits which come into play as soon asthe box has beenerected in form 22' so that its side panel P engagesplunger 25a and box switch 25. One armature 268 of box switch 25 swings.from main motor contact 270iand is held closedby the erected box in theform against contact 280, thereby energizing popcorn dispenser motorthrough conductors 282, 284, 256, normally closed relay contactor 288,relay contact 290 and conductor 202 and thence through door latchswitch39 and'door switch 40 through power inputterminal 240. .The mainmotor is temporarily de'euergi'zed a box load of popcorn into theawaitingerected'box.

A switch cam on the shaft of popcorn dispenserfmotor 26 (digrammaticallyindicated in FIG. 1 but not detailed) controls the contac-tors. 294 and29 6 of a 'dou'blepole' single-throw switch 31. As is apparent in'FIGS.l3 and 21, contactors 294 and 296-are away from their respectivecontacts 298, 300 at the start of the'operation of popcorn dispensermotor 26. However, after popcorn motor 26 has nearly completedsuflicient rotation rto'cause charge measuring device 28 todispenseenough popcorn to fill the waiting erected box, switchcontactors. 294

and 296 are closed against contacts 228 and 300, as

indicated in FIG. 22, and the following sequence of events occurs: Acircuit through winding 302 of a triplepole single-throw relay iscompleted from conductor 282 through contactor 294, contact 293, winding30-8 and conductor 292. A stick circuit contactor 3% is pulled closed bywinding 362 against contact 396 so that the winding 392 will remainenergized after contactor 29 of popcorn dispenser motor switch 31reopens away from contact 298; winding 302 pulls closed a secondcontactor 308 against contact 310, thereby establishing a jump circuitaround box switch 25 with the resultant re-energization of main motor17; thirdly, the energization of winding 302 opens cont actor 288 awayfrom contact 290. The closing of the contacts of switch 31 by dispensermotor 26, as indicated in FIG. 22, is of short duration. Briefly aftercontactor 288 has been opened by relay winding 302, the energizingcircuit for popcorn dispenser motor 26 is completed through contactor296 and contact 360 in a jump circuit 314 around contactor 288. However,

after slight further rotation of popcorn dispenser motor 26, contactors294 and 296 of switch 31 re-open and the condition diagrammed in FIG. 23prevails, wherein main motor 17 restarts, erecting form 22 is rotated toswing the filled box to the delivery station at the front of themachine, feeder blade 18 nears the end of its return stroke, and switchcam 276 on main motor shaft 132 is about to close cycle end switch 33.

Up until the condition diagrammed 'in FIG. 24, doorlatch solenoid 34 hasbeen de-energized. Whereas, at the start, cycle end switch 33 was closed(FIGS. 18 and 19) thereby connecting solenoid 34 to power input terminal249 through conductor 316 and cycle end switch 33, the connection ofsolenoid 34 to the other power input terminal 238 was broken by the opencontact door 318, which is part of box switch 25, a double pole switch.During the conditions diagrammed in FIGS. 21, 22 and 23 when the erectedbox in form 22 holds contactor 313 closed against contact 320 (therebyconnecting one side of solenoid 34 to power input terminal 238 viaconductor 266, contactor 318, contact 324} and conductor 3'22) cycle endswitch 33 was opened by the rotation away from it of switch cam 276 onmain motor shaft 132 so that solenoid 34 was disconnected from powerinput terminal 2%. However, in the FIG. 24 condition, form 22 has beenrotated to the FIG. position wherein it presents the filled box at thedelivery station, as illustrated 'in FIG. 1, at the front of the machineand, the filled box still being in form 22, the box switch contactor 318disposed against contact 320 and cycle end switch 23 is closed.

Door latch solenoid 34, being energized, opens the door latch 36 andsimultaneously opens a motor control switch 39, thereby killing allpotential circuits to both main motor 17 and popcorn dispensing motor26.

FIG. illustrates the final phases of the circuit operations. In order toremove the filled box of popcorn from form 22 at the delivery station,the customer raises front door 38, thereby opening door switch 49 andthus breaking the circuit through winding 248 of the holding relay andpermitting its contacts to reset to their FIG. 18 positions. Then whenthe customer removes the filled box from form 22, plunger 25a moves backinto the form and contactors 268 and 318 of box switch 25 revert totheir FIG. 1 positions. When the customer releases door 28, it slidesclose by gravity, thereby permitting door switch 40 to reclose. It isnoteworthy that until the customer removes the filled box from thedelivery station, the machine cannot be recycled and, so long as door 38is open, door switch 49 remains open so that the power circuits to themotors are killed and also dead is the circuit for holding relay winding243. This makes it impossible t'or a customer to get his hand caught inform 13 because the form cannot move at any time when the door is open.Should door 38 at any time be forced open, or should the latch fail toseat properly, door switch 40 opens, thereby immediately breaking thepower circuit from power input terminal 240 and consequently shuttingoil? the power supply to main motor 17 and popcorn dispenser motor 26.

The invention is not limited to the details disclosed and describedherein, but is intended to cover all substitutions, modifications andequivalents within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In an erecting mechanism for normally rectangular collapsible boxesof the type having self-locking bottoms and which, in collapsedcondition, are essentially fiat double panels joined by opposite edgefolds adapted to be forced towards one another to open the box so as to,

constitute one pair of diagonally opposedcorners of the erected box, andcrease lines across mid portions of the panels which constitute theother pair of diagonally opposed corners of the erected box, saidmechanism comprising a support, a magazine on said support for storing astack of said collapsed boxes, an erecting form having a generallyrectangularly cornered recess, feed means for Wiping the endmost one ofsaid boxes off said stack, carrying the same along a feed path towardsthe form, and ramming one edge fold thereof into a corner of saidrecess, said feed means comprising a lever, a blade on one end of saidlever, means on said blade for engaging one panel of said endmost box onsaid magazine, a pivot mounting said lever intermediate its ends on saidsupport for oscillatory movement about a horizontal axis wherein duringone complete feed cycle said blade sweeps along a path across therow-end of boxes on the maga- Zine and thence towards said recess andthen back to a position in which it lies across said row-end, meansmounting said form on said support adjacent the end of said feed pathfor rotation about a vertical axis, the other end of said lever havingan elongate cam slot, a drive assembly including a shaft rotatablymounted on said support in spaced parallel relation to said pivot,electric motor means and an electric supply circuit therefor forpowering said drive assembly, a crank arm on said shaft, a crank pin onsaid arm, said crank pin engaging in said cam slot whereby upon onecomplete rotation of said shaft, said blade partakes of said sweepingmovements, a pusher having an open angular surface adapted to engage theother edge fold of the box, a pusher chassis movably supporting saidpusher on said support adjacent the blade path for sliding reciprocatorymovement towards and away from said form along a line of movementsubstantially laterally adjacent and parallel to the feed path wherebythe pusher forces the opposite edge folds towards one another until thebottom locks, cam surface means on said pusher chassis, and pin means onsaid crank arm drivingly engaging said cam surface means for driving thepusher towards the form, said drive assembly including means coordinatedwith the movements of said crank arm for rotating said form about saidvertical axis from one position in which said recess faces toward saidfeed path for receiving the collapsed box and another position angularlydisplaced from the first position for holding the box in erected condition at a place remote from the feed path.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1, said magazine including means forforcing the collapsed boxes against the feed blade, and back-up means onsaid support for supporting said blade against deflectionby the forceextended thereon by a collapsed box.

3. A collapsed box feeding mechanism, comprising a support, a feedstation on said support, a box magazine on said support for holding arow of collapsed substantially fiat boxes with the flat sides thereofface-to-face, said row terminating at said feed station, means in saidmagazine for urging said row of boxes towards the feed station, astripper movably mounted on said support and having surface meansclosely engaging over the cdgcs of a group of said collapsed boxesadjacent the row end, means including a feed device mounted on saidsupport for feed stroke movement crosswise of the row end for Wiping abox atthe feed station edgewise off the row end along a feed pathextending substantially transversely of the row end, said surface meansterminating in an e s edge closely adjacent the feed path, and means-forreciprocating said stripper towards and away from said row so as to freesaid group of collapsed boxes from close engagement by the stripper,thereby permitting the collapsed boxes in said row to move towardsthefeed station.

4. The combination defined in claim 3, said surface a means beingsubstantially L,-shaped and engaging over the corners of said group ofcollapsed boxes. e

5. A collapsed box feeding mechanism, comprising a support, a feedstation on said support, a box magazine on said'supporthaving agenerally circular channel for holding a horizontal row of collapsedsubstantially flat boxes stacked edgewise'with the flat sides thereoffaces-toface, feed station being disposed, across said channel,

means in said magazine for urging said row of boxes around the channeltowards the feed station, a' stripper movably mounted-on said support;and having surface means closely engaging over the upper outside cornersof a'g'roup'of said collapsed boxes adjacent the row end,

7 supporting surface means in said magazine for engaging the lowerinside cornersof said group of boxes, means including a feed devicemounted on said supportfor feed stroke movement crosswise of the row endfor wiping a box at the feed station edgewise off the row end' along afeed path extending substantially outwardly of the row end, said surfacemeans terminating'in an edgeclose- 1y adjacent'the feed path, and meansfor reciprocating said stripper towards and away from said row so as toforce the lower inside corners of said group of. boxes 30 against'saidsupporting surfacemeans upon movement of the stripper towards the row,and to free said group of collapsed boxes from close engagement by thestripper upon movement of the stripper away from the row, therebypermitting the collapsed boxes in said row to move towards the feedstation. n V V 6. A collapsed box feeding mechanism, comprising asupport, a feed station on said support, a box magazine r on saidsupport for rholding a row of' collapsed substantially flat boxes withthe flat sides thereof face-to-facc, 7

said row terminating at said feed -station, means in saidmagazine forurging said row of boxes towards the feed station, an erecting formmeans including a feed device mounted on said support for feed'strokemovement'cross- Wise ofrthe' row end for wiping a box at the feed sta-"tion edge wise off the row end and feeding the same to said erectingform along a feed path, a pusher for. erecting the feed box in said"form, meansefor reciprocating References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,687,070 Gastright Aug 24, 1954 2,759,401Tobey Aug. 21, 1956

